Business

“Born in India, but built for the world,” the OYO founder Ritesh Agarwal. File
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

OYO founder Ritesh Agarwal has invited name suggestions for its parent firm Oravel Stays, in a strategic move as the global travel tech platform prepares to launch its Initial Public Offering (IPO) and looks to have more premium segment offerings.

“There is a high possibility that the name chosen through the exercise may end up being the name of the premium hotels app that OYO has been working to launch in the near future,” people familiar with the strategy told PTI. Mr. Agarwal took to social media platforms to seek name suggestions to help craft a “new identity”.

“We’re renaming the corporate brand behind it all. Not the hotel chain, not a consumer product — but the parent company powering a global ecosystem of urban innovation and modern living. We believe it’s time the world had a new kind of global brand — born in India, but built for the world,” the OYO founder said in the post on Thursday (May 29, 2025).

Mr. Agarwal shared that it should be a bold, one-word corporate name, global in feel, not tied to one culture or language, tech-forward, sharp, but also human and memorable, and broad enough to grow beyond hospitality, preferably with a .com domain available. He offered a prize of ₹3 lakh to the winner along with a chance to meet him.

PTI had reported that OYO has arranged for five investment banks to give a crucial presentation to its key shareholder SoftBank in June at the latter’s London office on Grosvenor Street, that could determine the company’s path to public listing, as it eyes launching an IPO in the last quarter of the current fiscal.

“OYO is actively exploring launching a separate app for its premium hotels and mid-market to premium company-serviced hotels as the segment has seen exponential growth across India as well as its global markets. There is a very high possibility that the name being selected may end up being the name of the premium hotels app that OYO has been working to launch in near future,” said people familiar with the matter.

Representational image of a Cafe Coffee Day outlet in New Delhi
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd (CDEL) has brought down its net loss to ₹33 crore during the fourth quarter of FY25 from a net loss of ₹303 crore it posted in the corresponding quarter a year ago, as per a regulatory filing by the company on Thursday.

During the full year, the company reported a net loss of ₹58 crore as against a net loss of ₹322 crore a year ago.

However, both Q4 revenue and full-year revenue grew by 7% and 6% year-on-year at ₹268 crore and ₹1,078 crore, respectively, as per the filing.

CDEL, which has been going through tough times over the last four years, has also reported a significant improvement in EBITDA. Its EBITDA for Q4 stood at ₹89 crore as against ₹-319 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago while its full year EBITDA grew to ₹223 crore against ₹-208 crore a year ago, the company stated.

As per the filing, during the fiscal year, CDEL raised ₹55.80 crore on the sale of corporate buildings by Coffee Day Global Limited, one of its subsidiaries that operates a cafe chain. It also received a profit of ₹15.55 crore on the sale of land held by Coffee Day Hotels & Resorts Private Limited, another subsidiary firm. The company incurred an expense of ₹45.22 crore on behalf of Tanglin Developments Limited (subsidiary) for non-satisfaction of certain CPs as agreed to in the sale agreement of Bangalore undertaking of Tanglin Developments Limited (subsidiary), it further stated.

Rep. image
| Photo Credit: AFP

The rupee strengthened by 19 paise to 85.29 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday (May 30. 2025) on the back of lower crude oil prices and sustained foreign fund inflows.

Forex traders said a firm greenback and volatile stock markets capped the rupee’s gain even as market participants stayed cautious ahead of the release of domestic GDP data.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened at 85.35 and gained further to trade at 85.29 against the greenback in initial deals, registering a rise of 19 paise from its previous close.

The rupee ended 10 paise lower at 85.48 against the dollar on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading higher by 0.16 per cent at 99.36.

Analysts said the dollar’s recovery after the US federal court’s ruling against President Donald Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs proved short-lived as a federal appeals court put a temporary stay on the ruling.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, declined 0.48 per cent to USD 63.84 per barrel in futures trade.

In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex fell 35.68 points, or 0.04 per cent, to 81,597.34, while the Nifty was unchanged at 24,833.70.

The Reserve Bank, in its latest annual report on Thursday, said the country is poised to remain the fastest-growing major economy in the world even in FY26.

Photo used for representation purpose only.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Ministry of Finance has asked the Reserve Bank of India to ensure that the central bank’s draft regulations on gold loans do not adversely impact small gold loan borrowers, and has noted that the new rules would be suitable to be implemented only by January 1, 2026.

This comes days after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman voicing his reservations about the RBI’s draft regulations, which the central bank had made public on April 9. The draft rules had also elicited significant consternation on social media, as well.

“Draft Directions on Lending Against Gold Collateral issued by the @RBI have been examined by @DFS_India [Department of Financial Services] under guidance of Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman,” the Ministry of Finance said in a post on X. 

“@DFS_India has given suggestions to the @RBI to ensure that the requirements of the small gold loan borrowers are not adversely affected,” the post added. “@DFS_India has also stated that such guidelines will need time to implement at the field level and hence may be suitable for implementation from 1st January 2026 only.”

The DFS has further suggested that borrowers with loan sizes below ₹2 lakh may be excluded from the requirements of the proposed directions “to ensure timely and speedy disbursement of loans for such small ticket borrowers”.

In his letter to Ms. Sitharaman, Mr. Stalin wrote that small and marginal farmers often lack formal land titles or verifiable income documentation, which makes the pledging of gold a viable and dignified route to access institutional credit. 

“The proposed prohibition would directly curtail this essential channel, effectively excluding a large segment of genuine and needy borrowers from the formal financial system,” he said.

Among the proposed rules in the RBI’s draft guidelines are a loan-to-value ratio cap of 75%, meaning borrowers will be able to avail loans of only 75% of the value of the gold they pledge. Additionally, borrowers will have to prove they own the gold they pledge, and there would be a cap on how much gold a single borrower can pledge with one lender. 

“It is expected that concerns raised by various stakeholders, as well as the feedback received from the public, will be duly considered by the @RBI before finalising the Directions on the same,” the Ministry of Finance added. 

People walk past the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building, in Mumbai. File photo
| Photo Credit:  Sensex updates

Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Friday (May 30, 2025), dragged by IT shares and sluggish trends in Asian markets.

The 30-share BSE Sensex declined by 219 points to 81,414.02 in early trade. The NSE Nifty dipped 53.6 points to 24,780.

Investors turned cautious ahead of the release of domestic GDP data, analysts said.

From the Sensex firms, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, IndusInd Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Consultancy Services were among the laggards.

Larsen & Toubro, Adani Ports, Eternal, Nestle, Sun Pharma and Maruti were among the gainers.

In Asian markets, South Korea’s Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng were trading in the negative territory.

The U.S. markets ended higher on Thursday (May 29).

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth ₹884.03 crore on Thursday, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought equities worth ₹4,286.50 crore, according to exchange data.

“Stable institutional flows- both FII and DII – are keeping the market steady even in the absence of positive triggers. The ongoing consolidation phase is likely to continue in the near-term. Investors should understand two distinct big trends that will weigh on markets: One, India’s macros are strong and improving. Two, this positive trend in macros is not getting reflected in corporate earnings. This is the fundamental reason for the range bound movement of the market,” V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude declined 0.48 per cent to USD 63.84 a barrel.

The BSE Sensex climbed 320.70 points or 0.39 per cent to settle at 81,633.02 on Thursday. The 50-share Nifty went up by 81.15 points or 0.33 per cent to 24,833.60.

Published – May 30, 2025 09:53 am IST

For now, Donald Trump retains his negotiating power with trading partners. (AI image)

The Donald Trump administration is evaluating a two-part strategy to deal with the US trade court ruling that blocked the American President’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs on several countries. The court ruling said that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing the tariffs. Currently, the Court of International Trade’s judgement against Trump’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act remains suspended due to an emergency stay. For now, this will help Donald Trump retain his negotiating power with trading partners.However, if subsequent court rulings also uphold the strike down of tariffs, US government officials have indicated that they have other measures up their sleeve.Trump Administration Message: ‘We will do it another way’In the first part of the twofold response, officials are exploring the implementation of broad-based tariffs across international markets using an unprecedented section of the Trade Act of 1974, according to a Wall Street Journal report.This provision permits levies up to 15% for 150 days to address trade deficits with international partners, according to the sources quoted in the report.Also Read | ‘Overstepped his authority…’: What are the scathing observations made by US trade court in ruling against Donald Trump’s tariffs?Under Section 122, Trump has the authority to implement a 15% tariff for a duration of 150 days to control imports. This provision aims to tackle balance-of-payments issues or prevent substantial devaluation of the dollar. However, any extension beyond the initial 150-day period would necessitate Congressional approval.This interim measure would provide Trump sufficient time to develop country-specific tariffs for major trading nations under a separate clause of the identical legislation, which addresses unfair international trade conduct.The second approach involves a detailed notification and consultation process, which administration officials believe provides stronger legal standing compared to the recently invalidated tariff policy. This alternative method has precedent, having been employed multiple times previously, including during Trump’s initial China tariffs.In a Bloomberg TV interview, Peter Navarro, senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, acknowledged the administration’s consideration of a dual-pronged tariff strategy. This would initially implement Section 122 of the 1974 trade law, followed by Section 301.When questioned about these specific provisions, Navarro confirmed, “Those are the kinds of thoughts” being evaluated by the economic team. He spoke of the potential application of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which enables tariffs against nations engaging in discriminatory practices against the US. He also mentioned the possibility of expanding tariffs based on national security considerations.“So you can assume that even if we lose, we will do it another way,” Navarro said.Navarro expressed confidence in their robust IEEPA position. “I think the big picture here is we’ve got a very strong case with IEEPA, but the court basically tells us, if we lose that, we just do some other things. So nothing’s really changed,” Navarro said.Also Read | Donald Trump’s trade policy thrown into turmoil! Will countries like India, China be tempted to hold off tariff talks?What does it mean for other countries?Globally, the implications are significant. Legal experts and trade analysts suggest that while court decisions might temporarily hinder Trump’s worldwide tariff strategy, they are unlikely to completely halt his efforts to secure trade advantages through pressure tactics. These rulings could simply lead to a shift in legal frameworks rather than a complete cessation.Specialists are advising their international stakeholders, businesses and other interested parties to anticipate that Trump will persist with his tariff agenda, albeit potentially through different mechanisms.“This is just the opening salvo,” said Dan Ujczo, a lawyer and U.S.-Canada trade expert at Thompson Hine in Columbus, Ohio. “The Trump administration has a number of options including reframing the executive orders to include some of the boundaries used in the CIT opinion,” Ujczo was quoted as saying by Reuters.“For folks celebrating this opinion, this may be a case of be careful what you ask for,” he added.Also Read | ‘Blatantly wrong’: Donald Trump administration blasts US court ruling blocking tariffs; says trade policy will continue

Top stocks to buy today (AI image)

Stock market recommendations: According to Bajaj Broking Research, Aurobindo Pharma, and Gokaldas Exports are the top stock picks for today. Here’s its view on Nifty, Bank Nifty and the top stock picks for May 30, 2025:Index View: NIFTYBenchmark indices extended consolidation for the second week in a row amid stock specific action. Nifty is seen consolidating in the range of 24,400-25,200. Despite facing multiple global macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds — including heightened geopolitical tensions, persistent global trade tariff uncertainties, and elevated U.S. bond yields — the Indian equity market continues to exhibit a resilient upward bias. The benchmark Nifty 50 index has sustained its positive trajectory and is now placed around the 24,800 level.From a short-term technical perspective, the market sentiment remains constructive. The index is expected to find strong demand in the support zone of 24,400–24,500. As long as this key support range is held, we anticipate the Nifty 50 to continue its bullish momentum towards the resistance at 25,200-25,300 levels in the short term. Short-term support for Nifty is placed at 24,400–24,500 levels being confluence of 20 days EMA, previous breakout area and the last 2 weeks lows. While on the higher side 25,200-25,300 remains a key hurdle area being the previous major high and 80% retracement of the entire decline (26.277-21,744).Factors that support the positive momentum in the market 1) Rate cut expectations in the monetary policy outcome (2) Above normal Monsoon Forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) (3) Brent crude prices have remained in a downward trajectory, offering a major tailwind to the Indian economy, which is a net importer of crude.NIFTY BANK

Stock Recommendations:Aurobindo PharmaBuy in the range of Rs 1155-1175

The stock is rebounding taking support at the rising trendline support joining lows of the last 3 months signaling buying demand at lower levels.The daily stochastic is rebounding from the oversold territory and has generated a buy signal moving above its three periods average thus validates positive bias. We expect the stock to head towards 1278 levels in the coming months being the 80% retracement of the previous decline (1356-1010) and the high of April 2025.Gokaldas ExportsBuy in the range of Rs 960-980

The stock is witnessing buying demand from the previous major breakout area and the confluence of 20- & 50-days EMA signaling strength and offers fresh entry opportunity. It is currently trading above the short- and long-term moving averages signaling strength and overall positive bias.The daily stochastic is rebounding from the oversold territory and has generated a buy signal moving above its three periods average thus validates positive bias. We expect the stock to head towards 1090 levels in the coming months being the 123.6% external retracement of the previous decline (1060-925). Disclaimer: The opinions, analyses and recommendations expressed herein are those of brokerage and do not reflect the views of The Times of India. Always consult with a qualified investment advisor or financial planner before making any investment decisions.